Sunday 21 July 2013

New Bug: Forcing close on start up

We've had a couple crash reports involving force close on start up. On our end, it looks like a part of the programming language is missing on the device. We've started looking into the issue, and at first glance it appears Train Driver is incompatible with Android 2.2 and below.

We've looked at how to force incompatible phones to be unable to buy the app, but wouldn't work it out. We can do it for individual devices, but not whole Android versions. For now, we'll settle for telling you here and on the Google Play store.

We will continue looking into the error though, and hopefully this will be fixed in future versions of Train Driver. We appreciate your patience with this matter.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Current projects

Since we released the last update, we have:

    -implemented imports of outside models, rather than coding them.

    -allowed visual cues for being cleared to leave the station when device is on silent.

    -a more evil scoring system, you now get penalised  for braking too harshly when stopping.

What we want to get done for the next update:

    -switches, parallel tracks , other trains waiting at stations.

    -speed limits around tighter curves.

    -including a station on the left side of the tracks in the tutorial ride

    -improving tutorial with better explanation of speed limit signs.

    -a few more scenery models to make things more interesting

What we want to do for the update after that:

    -implementing lay-bys for players to pull into and wait while automated train go past.

    -hills and mountains.

    -a few hand crafted tracks with specific challenges.



Sunday 7 July 2013

New Update 1.1!

We've been hard at work the last couple of days to bring you Version 1.1. V1.1 features some lovely curved tracks. Coming soon will be switches and multi track stations.

We have also added a grain silos, factories and churches, keep your eye peeled for them!

Friday 5 July 2013

More things for the To Do list

-create new texture for switches, and the tracks splitting

-new train model to wait at stations, and make it move eventually

-don't forget to make cars wait at some level crossings either

Google Play

We get no more strange cancellations, so problems with Google Play seems to be resolved!

Thursday 4 July 2013

Problems with Google Play and Google Wallet

OK, we seem to be experiencing some issues with Google cancelling a few orders. Not everyone, but some. If you are someone experiencing this issue, we apologise.

From our end, Google itself is cancelling the order, for no given reason. They send us an email, saying that someone has cancelled an order, which then says that Google cancelled it. No reason whatsoever.

So yeah, it seems to be entirely Googles fault. We apologise for any inconvenience, and will be looking at alternative places to distribute Train Driver. We will update when we have found one (or more)

I need a coffee...

OK, so we went live last night, fantastic!

Yesterday I did the river and textured the train stations, as well as the main menu picture before release. I also did the overhead wire posts, and a simple semaphore signal. Work on the church and other pieces will continue tomorrow. I need a break, or I'll burn out ;)

Marcin finished the tutorial and polished off the app, and took all the pretty screenshots you can see on the store.

And now, I'm going to go get a coffee :)

First release :)

It's live!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.marcinw.TrainDriver

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Things to Remember...

At this point in time, this blog is more for putting down any ideas we come up with along the way, and because we're so busy doing other things, we may forget. This will be a record of those ideas, that we can come back to, and strike off as we implement them. For now we want to:

-Have undulating landscape by using a random number generator ( X +rand.nextFloat() *Y), with  varying, X & Y determined by loops, as well as 10 meter segments of ground, to give hill and valleys on either side of the track, as well as the track running along ridges and valleys.

-Curved tracks and switches. Not sure how we are going to implement these yet, but we'll think of something

-Prettying the HUD, at the moment it's really basic, this shouldn't be difficult, but it will effect performance, and is low priority for now.

-Overhead power cables, generated every ~70m or so, unless in the middle of a road, overpass etc.

-Bigger stations with multiple tracks, more signals, bigger towns and small cities.

-different route types, city, country and wilderness.

-disable buttons during track generation, add loading screen etc.

-new pieces: airfield, seaside, cut hills, cliffs, highway, lighthouse, windmills

The plan for today:

-Rivers, churches, texturing station building- T.

-Finishing tutorial, cleaning main menu, and prepping for alpha release - M.

If anyone has any suggestions how we can improve, or things we can add, then please, feel free to leave a comment :)

A Brief History

This project has come a long way since it's inception (was it really only a week?). We've gone from a perspective layout with simple billboard triangular trees and basic 2D houses, to a completely randomised environment, complete with 3D objects, complete with textures. We've implemented a scoring system with penalties for missing stops etc, and have added many sounds. All this in only 7 days?

Aye.

Welcome to the First Post.

Welcome to TrainDriver. TrainDriver (working title) is a first person train simulator for Android devices. We aim to have a realistic system, while still being fun to play. Long term, we aim to introduce localised routes with country-specific signals, tracks and trains, including High Speed Rail. For now we have the Polish signals and a clunky Polish train (EN57). We will soon be adding New Zealand local signals and trains.

If you think driving a train is easy, we dare you to try it with TrainDriver!

Go on, we double-dog dare you!